The pool is wide enough for ships to pass each other without too much trouble.
The Federal Mayumi takes it easy sliding the wall into Eisenhower as the wind gusts up out of the southwest.
Thursday, 29 November 2012
American Locks
The St. Lawrence Seaway only has two American Locks in the system located near Cornwall. They are separated by a pool of three miles length with the Eisenhower Lock on the west side and the Snell Lock on the east side.
The pool is wide enough for ships to pass each other without too much trouble.
The Federal Mayumi takes it easy sliding the wall into Eisenhower as the wind gusts up out of the southwest.
The pool is wide enough for ships to pass each other without too much trouble.
The Federal Mayumi takes it easy sliding the wall into Eisenhower as the wind gusts up out of the southwest.
Wednesday, 28 November 2012
Ships that pass in the night
An early evening meeting with the tanker Maria Desgagnes (http://www.marinetraffic.com/ais/shipdetails.aspx?MMSI=316285000) just east of Cornwall on Lake St. Francis.
It is a normal passing where each vessel favours the starboard or right side the channel and the other vessel passes down their port or left sides. Depending on the area or person, it is called passing another ship 'port to port' or 'red to red' because each vessel sees the red sidelight of the other.
On the Lakes, mariners use the term 'meeting on one whistle' to indicate the same maneouvre since a short blast on the whistle has the meaning 'I am altering my course to starboard'.
It is a normal passing where each vessel favours the starboard or right side the channel and the other vessel passes down their port or left sides. Depending on the area or person, it is called passing another ship 'port to port' or 'red to red' because each vessel sees the red sidelight of the other.
On the Lakes, mariners use the term 'meeting on one whistle' to indicate the same maneouvre since a short blast on the whistle has the meaning 'I am altering my course to starboard'.
Saturday, 24 November 2012
Last Canal Trip
One last view of the Welland Canal as our work will keep us in Lake Ontario and the St. Lawrence until closing. The other crew on the ship will bring it back into Lake Erie at the end of December.
There is a small pool between Lock 7 and the top of the flight locks at Lock 6 East (downbound) and West (upbound).
A ship waiting to go up in Lock 7 will sit at the head of Lock 6 West until the downbound ship has started making its way into the lock.
There will be another several hours before we clear the canal at Port Weller, but at least it is the last one for the season for us.
There is a small pool between Lock 7 and the top of the flight locks at Lock 6 East (downbound) and West (upbound).
A ship waiting to go up in Lock 7 will sit at the head of Lock 6 West until the downbound ship has started making its way into the lock.
There will be another several hours before we clear the canal at Port Weller, but at least it is the last one for the season for us.
Role Reversal
I quite often see people in Montreal walking their dogs while riding a bike. In Port Colborne, it looks like the one getting the exercise is reversed!
Friday, 23 November 2012
Good choice
Many of the locks in the Welland Canal have a bascule bridge at one or both ends of a lock. Lock 8 has a bridge at both ends. One of the line handlers at the lock has to go to the end of the lock to operate the mechanism to open and close the bridge. Most choose the provided golf cart to make the trek from the centre of the lock, but there was another option at Lock 8.
It was heartening to see that the Lock Master made the better choice.
It was heartening to see that the Lock Master made the better choice.
Wednesday, 21 November 2012
Abandoned Lighthouse looking good
Although the chart identifies Point Abino lighthouse, between Port Colborne and the Niagara River entrance on Lake Erie as abandoned, the local Preservation Society has done an excellent job in making it look anything but.
There is no longer a light that shines from the structure. A light buoy is placed just south of the point to mark the shoal that extends 2,500 feet offshore.
A calm day is definitely required as the buoy is very close to the shoal and there is only 21 feet of water at the buoy position giving only 5 feet of clearance between the bottom of the ship and the lake bottom.
 |
| http://www.palps.ca/about.php |
There is no longer a light that shines from the structure. A light buoy is placed just south of the point to mark the shoal that extends 2,500 feet offshore.
A calm day is definitely required as the buoy is very close to the shoal and there is only 21 feet of water at the buoy position giving only 5 feet of clearance between the bottom of the ship and the lake bottom.
Shipbreaking in Canada
Most people only hear about shipbreaking in reference to Alang, India or Chittagong, Bangladesh and the pictures of men working amongst the beached hulks.
Canada, however, has a major shipbreaking yard in Port Colborne, Ontario at the southern end of the Welland Canal.
With facilities in Canada, it is hard to fathom how it can be more economical to tow ships half way around the world to be broken up when, in theory, owners are still required to comply with all the environmental regulations regarding removal of hazardous substances on a ship before it is dismantled.
Even though it is good for the environment to recycle the thousands of tonnes of steel and other materials from a ship, it is somewhat sad to pass these former vessels as they slowly vanish.
This small red-hulled vessel who hasn't yet met her fate is the former CCGS Verendrye. She spent many years sailing out of Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario before being decommissioned and sold over twenty years ago. Since then, she has hung around various locations on the Lakes before coming to her final resting place in Port Colborne.
Canada, however, has a major shipbreaking yard in Port Colborne, Ontario at the southern end of the Welland Canal.
 |
| http://www.marinerecycling.ca/ |
With facilities in Canada, it is hard to fathom how it can be more economical to tow ships half way around the world to be broken up when, in theory, owners are still required to comply with all the environmental regulations regarding removal of hazardous substances on a ship before it is dismantled.
Even though it is good for the environment to recycle the thousands of tonnes of steel and other materials from a ship, it is somewhat sad to pass these former vessels as they slowly vanish.
This small red-hulled vessel who hasn't yet met her fate is the former CCGS Verendrye. She spent many years sailing out of Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario before being decommissioned and sold over twenty years ago. Since then, she has hung around various locations on the Lakes before coming to her final resting place in Port Colborne.
Monday, 19 November 2012
On the Level
The traffic in the canal cleared out over night, and we left Thorold just before sunrise to head for Lock 8. Between Locks 7 and 8, there is a distance of about 14 miles. From Lock 7 to Port Robinson, there is only one way traffic. Above Port Robinson, the canal widens sufficiently to allow ships to pass each other, just.
This section of the Welland Canal between Port Robinson and Ramey's Bend, just before Lock 8, is known colloquially as "The Level". Traffic controllers advise ships when they will meet another ship 'on the Level'.
As a relatively smaller vessel, we tend to give Lakers more room when passing. However, if you alter too soon or give too much room, the other ship could have a tendency to stay in the center of the channel and crowd your ship over towards the bank. So, you want to make sure you maintain ownership of your half of the channel.
With another calm day, this meeting was a breeze.
This section of the Welland Canal between Port Robinson and Ramey's Bend, just before Lock 8, is known colloquially as "The Level". Traffic controllers advise ships when they will meet another ship 'on the Level'.
As a relatively smaller vessel, we tend to give Lakers more room when passing. However, if you alter too soon or give too much room, the other ship could have a tendency to stay in the center of the channel and crowd your ship over towards the bank. So, you want to make sure you maintain ownership of your half of the channel.
With another calm day, this meeting was a breeze.
Saturday, 17 November 2012
Another Welland Canal Transit
Another calm day in the 'Ditch', but a previous night's fog brought traffic to a halt for a few hours so it was slow going.
Foreign vessels are required to carry a pilot through the canal so a pilot boat is stationed at Port Weller and another at Port Colborne.
Windmill parts are still a popular cargo into the Great Lakes.
Like most modern 'Salties', this vessel has an automatic launching davit for its lifeboat.
I would be less thrilled trying to launch its small rescue boat in any kind of weather so close to the stern.
By sundown, we had only made it as far as Lock 5.
After Lock 7, we decided to call it a day and secure at a berth while ships were still lining up for the lock.
Foreign vessels are required to carry a pilot through the canal so a pilot boat is stationed at Port Weller and another at Port Colborne.
Windmill parts are still a popular cargo into the Great Lakes.
Like most modern 'Salties', this vessel has an automatic launching davit for its lifeboat.
I would be less thrilled trying to launch its small rescue boat in any kind of weather so close to the stern.
By sundown, we had only made it as far as Lock 5.
After Lock 7, we decided to call it a day and secure at a berth while ships were still lining up for the lock.
Friday, 16 November 2012
Burlington by bike
The ship berths in Hamilton harbour just by the canal on the Burlington side. Ontario's Waterfront Trail is a minute away following the shoreline.
This section of the trail is very pleasant because it actually is a trail and you can actually see the waterfront.
The trail becomes a boardwalk at Spenser Smith Park as you leave Beachway Park and enter the city.
The city of Burlington has a detailed web page on their site dedicated to cycling infrastructure activities including a Cycling Master Plan:
http://cms.burlington.ca/Page7901.aspx
This section of the trail is very pleasant because it actually is a trail and you can actually see the waterfront.
The trail becomes a boardwalk at Spenser Smith Park as you leave Beachway Park and enter the city.
The city of Burlington has a detailed web page on their site dedicated to cycling infrastructure activities including a Cycling Master Plan:
http://cms.burlington.ca/Page7901.aspx
Hamilton Harbour
The weather buoys we lifted for the winter are unloaded in Hamilton harbour, one of the busiest Canadian ports on the Great Lakes.
Access to the harbour is via a lift bridge in the middle of a short canal that passes under the Burlington Skyway. Needless to say, it can be a source of frustration for local commuters when a ship enters or leaves the harbour during rush hour.
The lift bridge is only the latest in a series of bridges throughout the history of the harbour.
As is often the case with navigation lights and buoys, ships will sometimes run into bridges as was the case in 1952:
http://henleyshamilton1.wordpress.com/2012/09/14/bascule-bridge-beginning-and-ending/
The Coast Guard does not have a dock in the harbour, but we are given berthing privileges at the Canadian Centre for Inland Waters since we provide the ships that scientists use for their research on the health of the Great Lakes ecosystem.
Access to the harbour is via a lift bridge in the middle of a short canal that passes under the Burlington Skyway. Needless to say, it can be a source of frustration for local commuters when a ship enters or leaves the harbour during rush hour.
The lift bridge is only the latest in a series of bridges throughout the history of the harbour.
 |
| Circa 1898 |
As is often the case with navigation lights and buoys, ships will sometimes run into bridges as was the case in 1952:
http://henleyshamilton1.wordpress.com/2012/09/14/bascule-bridge-beginning-and-ending/
The Coast Guard does not have a dock in the harbour, but we are given berthing privileges at the Canadian Centre for Inland Waters since we provide the ships that scientists use for their research on the health of the Great Lakes ecosystem.
Needy Montrealer
Snapped this shot from the train on my cell phone leaving the Gare Centrale station on the way to join my ship.
Graffiti artists are looking for attention, but this one seems to be sending a message that can be read from space.
Graffiti artists are looking for attention, but this one seems to be sending a message that can be read from space.
Thursday, 15 November 2012
Night moves
The shorter days mean another weather buoy (although the proper term is an ODAS-Ocean Data Acquisition System buoy) recovered in darkness. Fortunately, we have good quality flood lights to illuminate the deck.
The calm weather is holding out for another day thanks to a big high pressure system. We try to avoid handling these buoys in rough weather as there are thousands of dollars of delicate equipment on each of these buoys that could get wiped out if they swing the wrong way and strike the ship.
The weather buoys provide wind, air and water temperature, barometric pressure and wave height, which is transmitted via satellite to Environment Canada. Anyone can access this information via their website on the Marine Forecast page.
With the buoy, its 450 feet of mooring chain and 5000 pound cement anchor safely on deck, it is time to head to port to unload so the buoys can be serviced and ready to be deployed again next spring.
The calm weather is holding out for another day thanks to a big high pressure system. We try to avoid handling these buoys in rough weather as there are thousands of dollars of delicate equipment on each of these buoys that could get wiped out if they swing the wrong way and strike the ship.
The weather buoys provide wind, air and water temperature, barometric pressure and wave height, which is transmitted via satellite to Environment Canada. Anyone can access this information via their website on the Marine Forecast page.
With the buoy, its 450 feet of mooring chain and 5000 pound cement anchor safely on deck, it is time to head to port to unload so the buoys can be serviced and ready to be deployed again next spring.
Monday, 12 November 2012
Jack of all Trades
A Coast Guard buoytender has many features such as a large working deck and a heavy lift crane that make it suitable for various jobs on the water. Often these jobs will be piggybacked on each other for a given geographic area such as Lake Ontario.
The working deck above has weather and navigation buoys recovered for the winter as well as a small davit arm and science winch for taking samples around the lake.
The term 'Gales of November' is a cliche but no less true. The rule of thumb in the late fall is to take advantage of good weather when you get it be it daytime or night. A calm period is called for when doing buoywork in tight quarters such as Oswego Harbour.
With the sun going down, but the wind cooperating we headed out into the lake again to lift another weather buoy. It was fortunate that the weather was with us because as we brought the cement anchor to the surface there was another anchor wrapped around it!
By the time the anchors were stowed on deck and the chain unraveled the wind was starting to pick up strength. Just in time to start a night of water sampling.
And so it goes...
The working deck above has weather and navigation buoys recovered for the winter as well as a small davit arm and science winch for taking samples around the lake.
The term 'Gales of November' is a cliche but no less true. The rule of thumb in the late fall is to take advantage of good weather when you get it be it daytime or night. A calm period is called for when doing buoywork in tight quarters such as Oswego Harbour.
With the sun going down, but the wind cooperating we headed out into the lake again to lift another weather buoy. It was fortunate that the weather was with us because as we brought the cement anchor to the surface there was another anchor wrapped around it!
By the time the anchors were stowed on deck and the chain unraveled the wind was starting to pick up strength. Just in time to start a night of water sampling.
And so it goes...
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